How to get a Great Haircut

Tips on how to get the best haircut and colour in Adelaide

The key to getting a great haircut and colour is to establish a relationship of trust and mutual understanding with your stylist. However, the prospect of getting a fantastic result becomes daunting when you are visiting a hairdresser for the first time, particularly when you are fussy with your hair.

Here are our top tips for avoiding miscommunication with your stylist and having a satisfying salon experience.

Consultations are Key

Consulting with your hairdresser is an integral part of your salon appointment. A thorough consultation allows your stylist to ascertain and recreate the style that you are envisioning.

Hairdressers are generally visual people, with an industry specific vocabulary. Often, when a client verbally describes their desired haircut or colour, a stylist will picture it differently in their head. For example, if you explain that you want your hair to look like Anne Hathaway, your stylist may picture her pixie cut – when you were imagining yourself with her long bob.

Come prepared, bringing photographs of different cuts and colours that you are considering. Sites like pinterest.com make it easy to compile images of potential styles. Think about what you like and dislike about each image that you are bringing in. Consider your options; your desired length and texture, how you want to wear your hair (wavy or straight?), whether you want a fringe and what colour would suit the style.

Also consider how each style will suit your lifestyle. Do you want to be able to put your hair in a ponytail at the gym? Will you have to use particular products or styling tools to recreate the look? Do you have time to spend prepping your hair each morning?

Your stylist can then accurately advise you on what colour and haircut is suitable. Doing the groundwork is the easiest way to avoid miscommunication, to ensure that your stylist knows exactly what you want.

Speak up!

Before your stylist begins your haircut, double check that they understand what you want. If you feel as though your stylist isn’t listening, ask them to describe what you have asked for back to you. If you are unsure, always reaffirm things with your stylist before they begin.

If you feel uncomfortable at any time during the appointment, or your stylist has recommended something that you are unsure about, tell them! It’s not rude to ask them for an explanation for their reasoning – ultimately, the stylist wants to make you happy. Communication is the key to building a trusting relationship with your hairdresser and ultimately achieving a great style that you love.

If you are concerned that your stylist will cut off too much length of your hair, show them precisely on your hair where you would like them to stop. If, during the cut, you feel that they are cutting too much off, show them again and tell them “no shorter than this”.

While your stylist is working on your hair, ask them about the tools and products they are using and how they use them. Your stylist will be happy to help you recreate gorgeous hair at home and maintain the style in-between visits.

Respect your stylist

With the above in mind, remember to remain realistic. Your hair type, condition, current style or length may inhibit you from recreating your desired style. When compiling pictures of your desired style, stick to women with a similar hair type to you. If your hairdresser tells you that a particular style is impossible, or will not suit you, listen. Keep in mind that your hairdresser has a wealth of knowledge and experience and will generally recommend what is best for your hair.

Fill them in

Before you begin your service, tell your stylist about any prior damage done to your hair and any adverse reactions you have had to styling products or colour. It is also helpful to describe any styles you have had and disliked in the past, to avoid a similar result. Again, this will aid your stylist in envisioning the perfect style for you.

Think it through

Perhaps the most terrifying thing for a stylist is when a new client sits in the chair and says “I just want a total change – do whatever you think will look good.” Spontaneous, drastic changes can become a nightmare for both the client and stylist. When a client asks for something ‘cool’, ‘short’ or ‘funky’ or asks the hairdresser to ‘just cut it all off’, more often than not, they will leave the salon unhappy. This is because you and your hairdresser may have completely different ideas about what is stylish.

The best way to avoid this is to prepare yourself. If you decide to make a drastic change, think it over for at least a week before making an appointment with your hairdresser. It can also be beneficial to book a consultation with your hairdresser several days before taking the plunge. This way you can talk through the potential style with your hairdresser and avoid any disasters or uncertainties.

Not happy?

If you have left the salon unhappy with your hair, your natural reaction may be to mentally blacklist the salon,. However the most constructive way to deal with a service that you are unhappy with is to get in touch with the salon owner as soon as possible and explain the issue in detail. Describe what you asked for and how it differs from the end result. Any reputable salon will bend over backwards to fix the problem. At Yots, we want every client to love their hair when they leave the salon. Highlighting the issue is the first step towards reaching a solution that you, the client, is happy with.

Testimonials

"Thank you so much to the wonderful girls that worked on my hair yesterday! I was super nervous and worried but had no need to be! They completely transformed my hair, I’m in love with the colour! Amazing customer service and results! I think I’ve found my hair dresser”

Our Ethos

Our top priority is client-focused quality hairdressing, seamlessly blending contemporary style with classic techniques. We use only the best professional products, with a focus on beautiful results and healthy hair delivered in a spacious and calming boutique salon environment.